Consulting firm sues Lionsgate over Kidman Oscar nomination

By IBT Staff Reporter On 11/23/11 AT 3:45 PM

Can too much success be a bad thing? In the case of the critical acclaim received by the 2010 film Rabbit Hole, perhaps so.

Lionsgate Films was slapped with a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court this week by a consulting firm that claims it wasn't compensated for helping to secure Rabbit Hole star Nicole Kidman an Oscar nomination.

According to plaintiffs GBB Consulting, the company was retained by Lionsgate in August 2010 to provide logistical services in support of Liongate's 2010 slate of theatrical releases with the goal and purpose of obtaining awards, including but not limited to Academy Awards.

The suit claims that it was to receive $12,000 a month through the end of February 2011, plus $5,000 for each major Academy Award nomination in the major categories, and $2,500 for any guild-related award nomination.

However, according to GBB, Lionsgate terminated the agreement in November 2010 for financial reasons.

Kidman went on to score a Best Actress Oscar nomination and a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Rabbit Hole. Now GBB wants what it claims it was promised for its services -- and then some.

In the suit, which alleges breach of contract, GBB is asking for $61,500 -- an amount that includes the allegedly agreed-upon fees from August 2010 through February 2011, plus the bonuses for the award nominations. The suit also seeks 10 percent annual interest, court costs and attorneys' fees.

The suit might be trying to wring blood from a stone -- despite whatever award nominations the film might have received, Rabbit Hole took in just $3.4 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

GBB Consulting and Lionsgate did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.